Residents of Alagbon Odetunde, a suburb of Bode Saadu in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, have commended the state government for the ongoing construction of a major road in the community.
The residents, who spoke with journalists on Tuesday during a media tour of the area, said they had previously lived in pest-infested homes with no access to good roads before the government’s intervention.
They noted that the absence of motorable roads had hindered commercial activities and caused wastage of farm produce due to poor access to markets.
The community leader, Mogaji Alagbon Odetunde, Ahmadu Ayinde, said there were hardly any vehicular movements in the area before the project began.
“Cars rarely passed through our community before now because we only had narrow pathways. But since the government began the road construction, vehicular movement has increased, and the community is now bustling with activity.
“Farmers can now take their produce to markets, and commercial activities are gradually picking up. We appreciate the state government for this intervention and encourage investors to come and invest in our community,” he said.
A trader, Mrs. Kudirat Abdulfatai, who has lived in the community for seven years, said the road project had improved living conditions and reduced transport costs.
“Before the road construction, we paid N1,000 for transport to the market. Now, it costs only N500. We used to walk on footpaths, and rats, reptiles, and other pests invaded our homes. But since the construction reached our community, our surroundings are cleaner and safer.
“We are grateful to the government for remembering us and allowing a major road to pass through our community,” she said.
A youth leader, Mr. Sulaiman Odetunde, also appreciated the government and urged investors to take advantage of the improved infrastructure.
“We now have a good road and vast land for investment. We call on investors to establish commercial, industrial, and educational projects in our community. We also appeal for a higher institution here — our people are very accommodating,” he said.
It will be recalled that in February 2024, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, while inspecting the project, described the infrastructural development as a transformative milestone.
The governor said the road would significantly boost Nigeria’s economy and strengthen regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The project, which cuts across agrarian and border communities in the state, links Nigeria to the Republic of Benin and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region.
